The heat of the summer is here! Why did we wait so long to buy a sun shade for our camper? Help keep your RV cool and your patio area with a shade attached to your awning. But there is so much more to it. In those crowded campgrounds, you can feel like you have your own private space. and it helps keep your RV awning from moving so much on those windy days. And its easy to install, zip up and take down.
In this video, we discuss why we love having a Sun Shade attached to our Awning.
It provides shade, some privacy, defines your space at a campground, secures the awning during high wind, protects from rain, and is easy to install and teardown. The EZ Zip Blocker from Carefree of Colorado is well engineered and constructed. The installation only takes a few minutes, but you will need a ladder. The EZ Zip Blocker shade has a reasonable cost of $180 on Amazon. @Carefree of Colorado.
Top Five Reasons to install a EZ Zip Blocker from Carefree of Colorado
1. Shade – provides shade when sun is low
2. Privacy – helps create a defined space for privacy
3. Rain – helps keep rain from getting chairs wet
4. Secure Awning from strong winds – Strong wind can destroy an RV Awning, the EZ Zip Blocker keeps is secure.
5. Easy installation and use. – Takes just minutes to install and can come down in less than a minute.
Chapters
0:00 Intro
:55 Shade
1:38 Privacy
1:57 Secures Awning
2:42 Rain
3:54 Easy install & Teardown
4:42 Measure
5:52 Web-Order
7:17 Ladder
7:41 Rotate Awning
8:22 Attach Shade
8:56 Velcro
9:58 Zip Bottom
10:32 Stakes
11:25 Easy teardown
Link to EZ Zip Blocker on Amazon
https://amzn.to/37u5AYk
Beech Lane Stake Kit
https://amzn.to/3kS7oxq
Camco Stake Kit
https://amzn.to/3P156Kh
Link to the EZ Zip Blocker on Carefree of Colorado Web Site
https://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/products/ez-zipblocker.html
Link to Installation manual for EZ Zip Blocker
https://www.carefreeofcolorado.com/documents/070006-001r3%20EZ%20Zipblocker%20Installation.pdf
🛒Our Amazon Store
https://www.amazon.com/shop/downsizingmakescents
Installation Steps
Measure the Awning
First measure the length of the awning from arm to arm.. It is easiest to to this from the roof of the RV with the Awning fully retracted. The width of the EZ Zip Blocker should be about a foot shorter than the distance between the arms to give space for the tube spinning. The EZ Zip Blocker should not be more than 6 inches wider than the awning material.
The EZ Zip Blocker comes in 5 widths
10 feet wide
13 feet Wide
15 feet Wide
17 Feet Wide
19 Feet Wide
Measure the height from the ground to the awning tube.
The EZ Zip Blocker comes in three heights
7 feet high – 1 foot on top, 6 foot on bottom
8 feet high – 2 feet on top, 6 foot on bottom
9 feet high – 3 feet on top, 6 foot on bottom
Use a step ladder to get access to the top of the awning arm, a 6 or 8 foot ladder should do. We used our truck as a platform because we only had an extension ladder which is not safe in this case
IF you use an extension ladder leaned up against the awning arm, the awning arm can retract from the pressure of the ladder and then you and the ladder will fall, believe me it almost happened to me when I was replacing my awning arms a couple of years ago.
Use the controls for the Awning to rotate the awning arm so that the open slot you are going to use for the EZ Zip Blocker is aligned with the cut out in the arm housing. If this is not aligned you will not be able to feed the poly cord into the slot in the awning arm.
This Awning arm has three slots, one for the awning itself, one for an accessory like the EZ Zip Blocker and one for the light. Make sure your awning arm has an open slot to accommodate the EZ Zip Blocker before you purchase.
Slide the poly cord into the open slot for the EZ Zip Blocker top section. Push the screen into the slot until it gets to the other side. Position the screen so that it is centered on the awning arm so there is equal space on each side. It is important to get it centered before placing the velcro strips.
Clean the awning tube with alcohol to make sure the adhesive on the velcro tabs make good contact. Position the velco tab, expose the adhesive and press firmly to the awning tube. Rub the velcro vigorously to make good contact.
Connect the bottom section of the screen to the top section with the zipper. The top section may be over 6 feet high, use a step ladder if necessary.
Hold the screen taught forward of the zipper to keep the zipper from hanging up in a wrinkle. We use a small string tied to the zipper handle to make it easier to reach and open and close the zipper. We also use a paper binder clip attached to the zipper to keep the zipper from opening by mistake.
Pull the screen tight and approximate the position of the stake. Screw the stake into the ground and attach the bungee cord. You want the bungee snug to hold the awning tightly but not so tight it distorts the screen.
When the wind starts blowing and you have to retract your awning in a hurry, just pull the zippper quickly across, let the bottom section fall to the ground, then retract the awning as normal.
The top section of the EZ Zip Blocker will wrap around the awning material as it retracts. Never retract the awning with the bottom section of the EZ Zip Blocker attached, it may damage the awning.
Enjoy your EZ Zip Blocker Shade
